"Received marriage proposal in intensive care unit": story of rescuer who died after struggling for life for 11 months

Yevheniia Dudka, Head of the press service of the Main Directorate of the State Emergency Service (SES) of Ukraine in Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, who came under Russian fire in April last year, died on Tuesday, 7 March.

Source: SES

Details: The woman had been fighting for her life for 11 months. Her colleagues considered Yevheniia a professional in her field.

Quote from SES: "There are no words in this world to express the sadness and horrible pain of a terrible loss. Yevheniia was a true professional in her field, a patriot," the statement reads.

Yevheniia Dudka

Yevheniia had been undergoing treatment in a Kyiv medical facility. She came back to Ukraine after a long treatment abroad.

"11 months of struggle. Dozens of surgeries. But God needs you in heaven. I love you. I'm sorry I couldn't save you," wrote Ihor Hetalo, Yevheniia's husband.

Screenshot from Yevheniia's husband, Ihor Hetalo's Instagram page

Yevheniia's colleague Olena Perevoznyk also reacted to the sad news:

"I can feel the pain of loss with my whole body, the pain that her mother, husband, family, friends are feeling now..."

On 10 April 2022, Yevheniia Dudka and her fellow emergency workers were dealing with the aftermath of the Russian bombardment of an airport in the city of Dnipro.

Then Russia struck once more, injuring six rescuers.

Yevheniia’s injury was the most severe.

She was treated in Germany for a long time. On 1 December, Yevheniia wrote on her Facebook page that she had been in Berlin for six months.

Yevheniia recalled her first time abroad as follows:

"When Ihor and I arrived at Charité [one of Europe's largest university hospitals], the intensive care doctors said I would be fine in three months. However, there was more to come: four days of coma, liver bleeding, round-the-clock haemodialysis, bilateral pneumonia, constant pain and nausea, no sleep at all and an abnormal perception of everything that was happening."

Yevheniia and her husband, Ihor

Yevheniia married Ihor, who also works for the State Emergency Service, after her injury while undergoing treatment on 27 May, 2022. Her husband proposed to her in the intensive care unit.

"Some people are proposed to with a bouquet of beautiful flowers. Some – in the most beautiful cities and countries. And so on. I got mine in the intensive care unit. We got married there as well," the woman said.

On social media, Yevheniia actively shared the details of her recovery with her followers, answering the questions she and her husband were asked most often, particularly about her treatment, current condition, and doctors' prognoses.

"Believe me, the smile in the photo is tough to come by. After each walk, I take another three days to recover. Ten minutes of walking means two hours of ringing in my ears and trembling in my arms and legs," Yevheniia wrote.

On 18 January, the woman celebrated her 32nd birthday. Yevheniia promised herself to dream more and listen to her heart.

Yevheniia celebrating her birthday in the hospital

"I promise to love life, myself, and my body more. I promise to take care of myself and not betray my feelings. And I also promise not to be afraid to be myself," Yevheniia wrote at the time.

Later, she admitted that treatment in Germany was a real challenge for her:

"I have a question... Why not provide Ukrainian hospitals with the medications available abroad, as only our doctors heal and save. You are being tested here!"

Yevheniia's last post was dated 24 February this year. Back then, on the anniversary of the full-scale Russian invasion, she confessed:

"For me, 24 February ended on 10 April. And to this day, I live on 10 April. The war has changed my life dramatically. It took away my health, my favourite job and did not allow me to enjoy family life," the woman wrote on 24 February 2023.

See also: "Angel of the troops": 29-year-old paramedic killed near Bakhmut during evacuation of wounded

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